Carton



March 2l, 1939. w. J. HUBBARD 2,151,472

CARTON Filed May l2, 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet l IHM K Il" March 21, 1939. 'w. J. HUBBARD CARTON 2 Sheets-Sheet, 2

Filed May 12, 1937 mmm! ufnllllllIIIIIIIIIIIHIIHIUUI ATTORNEYS,

Patented Mar. 2l, 19,39

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CARTON f Application May 12, 1937, serial No. 142,083

13 claims. (o1. zza-31) My invention is concerned with containers, and particularly with containers formed of corrugated paper or solid liber. It is the primary object of my invention to produce a container of 5 this type suitable for use inpacking cans and bottles. Afurther object of my invention is to Produce a container which will be free from seams and which can be assembled without the necessity for any stitching, gluing, or similar expedients. Still another object of my invention is the production of a container which, while capable of being handled easily, will present exterior surfaces free from projections or other irregularities subject to tearing.

In carrying out my invention, I form the container from a single blank of flat material cut to provide a bottom, side walls, end walls, and covers. In the corners of the blank, between each side-wall portion and the adjacent end-wall` portions, I leave corner portions which, wheny folded inwardly into triangular shape during erection of the box, lie against the adjacent endwall and serve as reinforcements therefor. At the ends of the box, hand-holes are provided formed at least in part in the triangular reinforcements. The end walls, if the reinforcements are folded inwardly, or the reinforcements themselves, if folded outwardly, may be provided with extensions foldable inwardly over the end wall to be held in place by the contents of the box or by partitions therein. l

The accompanying drawings illustrate my invention: Fig. 1 is a plan view of the preferred box-blank; Fig. 2 is an isometric view showingv partially erected a box formed from the blank of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is an isometric view showing the completely erected box with the partitions in place; Fig. 4 is a transverse vertical section on the line 4 4- of Fig. 5; Fig. 5 is a fragmental longitudinal section on the line 5--5' of Fig. 4; Fig. 6 is another isometric view illustrating the box ina stage of erection earlier than that illustrated in Fig. 2; Figs. 7, 9, and 11 are fragmental plan views of blanks used in forming modified boxes; Fig. 8 is an isometric view of a box formed from the blank illustrated in Fig. 7; Fig. 10 is a vertical transverse section through a box formed fromthe blank of- Fig. 9; and Fig. 12 is an end elevation of the box formed from the blank of Fig. 11- f The box-blank illustrated in Fig. 1 comprises a central portion I0 which forms the bottom of the erected box. Along its sides, the bottom I0 is continuous with side-wall forming portions II End-wall forming portions I3 join the bottom I0 at its ends and, respectively continuous with them, are extensions Il. At the ends of the Wallforming portions II and I3 generally square corner reinforcements I5 are left each having adja- 5 cent sides joined respectively to a side-wall portion II and an outer end-wall portion I3.

'I'he box-blank described is scored or otherwise adapted for folding along the lines joining the various portions enumerated. In addition, each of the corner portions I5 is scored or otherwise weakened along a diagonal line extending outwardly from the adjacent corner of the bottom I0.

To erect a box from the blank described, the side and end-wall portions are folded upwardly to a position perpendicular to the box-bottom I0, the corner portions I5 being reversely `folded along their respective diagonal lines toward the interior of the box, as is clear from Fig. 6. The in-folded corner portions I5 are brought against the adjacent end-wall I3, as indicated at the right in Fig. 2, and the end-wall extensions I4 are folded inwardly over them. u

In the box thus formed, a set of transverse partitions 20 and longitudinal partitions 2| may be placed, as indicated in Fig. 3. The longitudinal partitions 2I extend for the full length of the box, bearing at their ends against the in-folded extensions I4 holding such extensions rmly in place and maintaining the box in erected condition. The majority of the partitions 20 and 2| may have a height less than the depth of the box; but it is desirable that one transverse partition near the center of the box extend upwardly to the top thereof, as indicated at 22 to form an intermediate support for the cover flaps I2 when they are folded inwardly over the open top of the box. If desired, each cover ap I2 may be provided along its outer edge with an extension tongue 25 adapted to be folded inwardly of the box as indicated in Fig. 4, the partition which in turn are continuous with cover flaps I2. \\stand a lifting effort imposed on the in-folded tongues 3|, lt is so proportioned that the corner portions I5 overlap the openings 30, the diagonal edge of each corner portion being notched to .tongues 3l." Such notches, in a box of the proportions shown, may be provided by square openings 35 punched in each corner portion I5 during the formation of the blank.

As will be noted in Fig. 5, the tongues 3I extend inwardly beneath three thicknesses of the corrugated paper from which the box is formed. A lifting effort applied to the tongues 3| by fingers inserted through the opening 30 is therefore well distributed with the result that the material of the box does not tear. The box has no seams which4 require sealing and, as a result, is relatively impervious to moisture below the bottom edges of the hand-holes 30. Thelongitudinal partitions 2l prevent displacement of the flaps I4 and thus hold the box in'erected condition without the necessity for any stitching or gluing. The cover naps I2, when folded over the open top of the box, are held in position by the tongues 25 seated in the notch 26. The entire exterior of the box is smooth and provides no projecting portions which can catch on obstructions and become torn.

If desired, one of the cover flaps I2 may be provided near its free edge with a small opening 4I) through which a finger can be inserted to raise the flap and open the box.

'Ihe box illustrated in Figs. 7 and 8 has the same bottom III, side walls Il, and end walls t3 as the box previously described, but the corner portions between the end and side walls are brought outwardly in the erection of the box and folded against the outer surface of the end walls I3. Each corner portion is formed of an inner fold 45 and an outer fold 46 separated by a diagonal score line 41. Instead of forming the corner portions 45-46 to overlap merely the upper corners of the hand-hole, as was the case of the box illustrated in Figs. 1 to 6, the blank of Fig. "7 is so proportioned that the corner portions overlap the entire area. occupied by the hand-hole. The outer corner of each corner-portion 45-46 is cut away on perpendicular lines so that when the two corner' portions are folded against the outer surface of the end wall I3 they will abut in the vertical median plane of the box. Notches 48 provided in each corner portion are so disposed as to be brought into alinement in erection of the box', as is clear from Fig. 8. If desired, no hand-hole need be provided in the end wall I3 of the box, thus making it possible to seal the box completely, a feature which is desirable when the box is to be used in the packing of products susceptible to damage by light. If no holes for the insertion of the fingers are provided in the end walls, each set of notches 48 form in the outer surface of the box a recess having a depth equal to double the thicknessof the material of the blank into which recess the fingers may be inserted in handling the box.

In the box of Figs. 7 and 8, instead of providing the end-wall extensions I4 previously described, I provide each outer fold 46 of each corner portion with a iiap 5I) which, in the erected box, is adapted to extend horizontally inward over the contents of the box. Desirably, the two naps 50 at each end of the box are struck ou on complementary oblique lines so that they will. abut in the erected box along a line which is not coincident with the' abutting edges of the in\ folded cover portions I 2' provided as extensions on the side walls II. V

To hold the corner portions 45-46 against the end walls I3 of the box they may be glued there` to or secured by means of staples 5I illustrated in Fig. 8. The box may be sealed by gluing the in-folded cover portions I2 to the flaps 50 or by taping over the abutting edges of the cover portions.

The box illustrated in Figs. 9 and 10 is identical making unnecessary the provision of staples 5I or other means for holding the corner portions 45-46 against the end walls. The contents of the box, or longitudinal partitions if such are used, will aid in retaining the lin-folded flaps 55 in place.

The box shown in Figs. 11 and 12 resembles that shown in Figs. 7 and 8 except that the corner portions 45-46, instead of being cut away to abut against each other, are trimmed to form a lap joint. For this purpose one of the corner portions 45 at each end of the box continues outwardly beyond the end of the diagonal fold line 4`| to form an extension 45', one side of such continuation being defined' by an extension of such fold line, while the associated fold 46 is cut away perpendicularly to thefold line. At the other corner of the same end of the box, the outer fold 46 continues outwardly beyond the end of the fold line 41 to form an extension 46', while the associated innerfold 45 is cut away per-` pendicularly to the fold line. In the erected box, the extensions 45 and 46 overlap, as indicated in Fig. 12, and may be held in place by gluing or stapling.

I claim as my invention:

1. A box formed of folded sheet material, said box having a bottom, side and end walls continuous with said bottom, and corner reinforce? ments disposed between and continuous with the tively continuous with said end walls and folded inwardly over said corner reinforcements, and one or more longitudinal partitions disposed within said box and bearing at their ends against said in-folded end-wall extensions tohold them in place, each of said end walls and its associated extension being provided with alined openings constituting a hand-hole so located as to overlap said corner reinforcements, and said corner reinforcements being notched to conform to the upper edge of said hand-hole openings.

2. A box formed of folded sheet material, said box having a bottom, side and end walls continuous with said bottom, and corner reinforcements disposed between and continuous with the respectively adjacent side and end walls, said corner reinforcements being reversely folded along diagonal lines to lie against the inner faces of wardly over said corner reinforcements, each of said end Walls and its associated extension being provided with alined openings constituting a hand-hole so located as to overlap said corner reinforcements, and said corner reinforcements being notched to conform to the upper edge of said hand-hole openings.

3. The invention set forth in claim 2 with the addition that each of said end walls is provided with an integral tongue foldable inwardly through said hand-hole.

4. A box formed of folded sheet material, said box having a bottom, side and end Walls continuous with said bottom, and corner reinforcements disposed between and continuous with the respectively adjacent side and end walls, said corner reinforcements being reversely folded along diagonal lines to lie against the inner faces of said end walls, each of said end walls being provided with alined openings constituting a hand-hole so located as to overlap said corner reinforcements, and said corner reinforcements being notched to conform to the upper edge of said hand-hole openings.

5. In a box of folded construction, an end wall provided above its bottom edge with a hand-hole, and a reinforcing element of vdouble thickness extending from a point above said hand-hole to each lower corner of said end wall and having one of its thicknesses continuous with the material of said end wall and joining said end wall along a vertical edge thereof.

6. In a box of folded construction, an end wall provided above its bottom edge with a hand-hole, and a reinforcing element extending from a point above said hand-hole to each lower corner of said end wall and being continuous with the material of said end wall and joining said end wall along a vertical edge thereof.

7. In a box of folded construction, end and side walls, and a corner reinforcement at each corner of the box continuous with the adjacent side and end wall and folded back upon itself along a diagonal line to lie against said end Wall, said box being provided at its ends with hand-holes located at least in part in said corner reinforcements.

8. The invention set forth in claim 7 with the addition that said corner reinforcements are folded inwardly of the box to lie against the inner surface of the end walls.

9. The invention sei'l forth in claim 7 with the addition that said corner reinforcements are folded outwardly of the box to lie against the outer surface of the end Walls.

10. The invention set forth in claim 'I with the addition that said corner reinforcements are folded outwardly of the box to lie against the outer surface of the end walls, said end walls being imperforate over the area occupied by said hand-holes.

11. The invention set forth in claim 7 with the addition that said corner reinforcements are folded outwardly of the box to lie against the outer surface of the end walls, each of said reinforcements being provided with an extension folded over the top of the adjacent end wall and against the inner surface thereof, the two extensions at each end of the box having complementary notches and interlocking with each other.

12. 'I'he invention set forth in claim 7 with the addition that said corner reinforcements are folded outwardly of the box to lie against the outer surface of the end walls, each of said reinforcements being provided with an extension folded over the top of the adjacent end wall.

13. The invention set forth in claim '7 with the addition that said corner reinforcements are folded outwardly of the box to lie against the outer surface of the end walls, each of said reinforcements being provided with an extension folded over the top of the adjacent end wall and against the inner surface thereof.

WARD J. HUBBARD. 

